“The new online submission system is a linchpin of publishing peer-reviewed socioeconomic research in the Bulletin,” said William T. Couldwell, MD, editor of the Bulletin. “The easy-to-use system also will encourage open submissions of articles, an important element in a vehicle for information and analysis that seeks to represent all of neurosurgery.”
This advancement follows several permutations of the AANS’ premier communication vehicle for members. More importantly, it demonstrates the leadership of the AANS in the area of socioeconomic and professional issues as they affect the specialty of neurosurgery and its commitment to advancing the specialty by encouraging research in these areas.
The AANS began ongoing publication of a newsletter in 1975. Citing Frank Mayfield’s 1965 presidential proclamation that the organization had become the “official organization representing the neurological surgeons of the United States,” Richard Schneider wrote in his Presidential Newsletter that “it is believed that the AANS should present vital and pertinent material to all neurosurgeons.”
The following year the publication became known as the AANS Newsletter. Topics addressed in the early issues may sound familiar: continuing medical education, coding, Washington activities, and neurosurgical workforce. Issues being tackled by the Socioeconomic Committee included relative value scales, density and distribution of neurosurgeons and delivery systems of neurosurgical care, and medicolegal problems.
Sixteen years later Michael L.J. Apuzzo, MD, was named newsletter editor with the goal of making the publication the “premier source of neurosurgical news throughout the 1990s.” In Vol. 1, No. 1, Dr. Apuzzo introduced the new AANS Bulletin and predicted that “Throughout the 1990s and beyond, the Bulletin will serve as a prime source of general neurosurgical and association-related news.” The format was upgraded with a full-color cover, and the content was assembled with “special attention…to critical issues, including reimbursement and legislative challenges.”
In 1998, A. John Popp, MD, was appointed editor of the Bulletin. By the Winter 1998 issue, the publication had “taken on a new look and a new focus, evolving into a more member-friendly publication with a strong focus on socioeconomic topics,” he wrote in his Personal Perspective. “This change,” he continued, “was in direct response to AANS members’ expressed interest in hearing more from the association about practice management issues, reimbursement concerns and other socioeconomic topics.” In 1999 the eight-member Bulletin Advisory Board was formed to “ensure that our membership magazine is the best in the field.”
James R. Bean, MD, who had served as associate editor, became the Bulletin’s editor in 2003. In 2004 the AANS Member Survey found the Bulletin to be a premier member benefit and a top predictor of members’ satisfaction with their membership. In 2005 the first peer-reviewed socioeconomic research paper was published in the Bulletin, and eight reviewers agreed to support the peer-review process.
Today, the Bulletin Advisory Board includes 20 members, among them Dr. Couldwell, editor, and Patrick W. McCormick, MD, associate editor. A core group of nine peer-review panelists, many of whom are active in the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies, is led by Deborah L. Benzil, MD.
“The CSNS, acting on the initiative of Mick J. Perez-Cruet, MD, has been very instrumental in the development of the Bulletin’s peer-review component,” said Dr. Benzil. “The continuing support of this project by the CSNS is both important and greatly appreciated.”
Writing Guidelines for the AANS Bulletin
The Bulletin’s detailed writing guidelines are available from
the Bulletin’s home page, www.aans.org/bulletin; the direct
link is www.aans.org/bulletin/writing.asp. A link to the online submission
portal is provided in the guidelines.
The following is intended as a summary of the online submission process and the writing guidelines for research papers and for general articles. Before articles are submitted to the Bulletin, the complete guidelines online should be carefully reviewed and the manuscripts, accordingly prepared.
The Bulletin considers for publication original, nonpromotional articles that have not been published previously. The AANS Bulletin reserves the right to print accepted articles in the vehicle it deems most appropriate.
Online Article Submission All articles must be submitted online through the AANS Bulletin’s secure electronic submission platform, available 24 hours a day and seven days a week at https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aansbulletin. From this main page:
- Those with an account enter their User ID and Password where indicated on the login screen and select “Submit.”
- Those with an account but who do not know their password select the “Forgot Your Password?” link to generate an e-mail message containing a temporary password and additional instructions.
- Those without an account select the “Create Account” link and follow the three brief steps. In step three of the process, those who wish to participate as peer reviewers of socioeconomic research papers should select “Yes” to the question, Are you willing to be a reviewer for the AANS Bulletin?
The manuscript submission process consists of six steps. Selecting the “Next” arrow at the bottom of each page will save the submission to that point. The system is intuitive and includes step-by-step instructions. User tutorials also are accessible from the login page. The “Get Help Now” link at the top right of every page provides 24-hour access Monday through Friday to help online or by telephone.
Submission Requirements
Authors are required to (1) submit a completed copyright release form, one
for each author; (2) disclose conflicts of interest; (3) submit a cover letter
certifying that the manuscript has been read and approved by all of the authors
and that each author believes that the manuscript represents honest work, among
other requirements; and (4) provide at least two key words.
Manuscripts must be submitted as Microsoft Word files. Figures, including tables, graphs and charts, must be submitted as separate Microsoft Excel files. Digital photographic images must be submitted at no greater resolution than 150 DPI, and full-size files at 300 DPI will be required if the paper is accepted for publication.
When an article is accepted, an editor will work with the author to finalize the article for publication. Articles will be edited for length, clarity and style, and final copy will be provided for the author’s review. Authors are responsible for the content of their articles. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the opinions expressed and statements made in the AANS Bulletin are the authors’ and do not imply endorsement by the AANS.
Articles accepted for publication become the property of the AANS and the Bulletin unless otherwise stated in a written agreement between the author and the AANS Bulletin prior to publication. Two copies of the issue in which the article is published will be provided to the author(s) with thanks for participating in a developing dialogue that advances the specialty of neurological surgery.
Research Papers The AANS Bulletin seeks submissions of hypothesis-driven research articles, which are evaluated by the Bulletin’s peer reviewers, to encourage research into socioeconomic topics related to neurosurgery and to disseminate this valuable information among neurosurgery’s decision-makers.
The expectation for length of research articles is between 1,500 and 3,000 words. To facilitate the AANS Bulletin’s double-blinded peer-review process, a title page must not be included. The manuscript must be submitted with an abstract of 250 words or less. The text of most manuscripts should be divided into Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusions. References must be formatted as endnotes, alphabetized by author last name and cited in text parenthetically. See the online instructions for details.
General Articles The AANS Bulletin welcomes feature articles, and occasionally articles for specific departments, that are written by neurosurgeons and others who have knowledge of topics that directly affect neurosurgeons and the practice of neurosurgery.
General articles in the AANS Bulletin usually are 750 or 1,500 words. Articles published in the AANS Bulletin typically are written in the journalistic style of a magazine and lead with a brief introduction that communicates the current significance of the topic or stresses what is current and newsworthy about the subject at hand. A topic sentence that follows the introduction clearly conveys the main idea of the article to the reader and previews what the article will cover. The article’s following paragraphs support the main idea expressed in the topic sentence, and assertions are supported by evidence. Resources may be published with the article to assist readers interested in pursuing additional information. See the online instructions for details.
Other Items The Bulletin additionally encourages submission of letters to the editor, news briefs and calendar items. These items should be submitted to [email protected]. See the online instructions for details.
Manda J. Seaver is staff editor of the AANS Bulletin, www.aans.org/bulletin.
For More Information
- Couldwell WT: AANS Bulletin’s momentum continues: New editor considers peer review, practice survey impact. AANS Bulletin 14(3):16, 2005. Article ID 37080
- Seaver MJ: Bulletin spurs research: Peer-reviewed papers will deepen pool of socioeconomic data. AANS Bulletin 14(3):17, 2005. Article ID 37088